Kelsey Mitchell poured her heart out to Indiana Fever assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly on Wednesday. Mitchell and Christmas-Kelly developed a special bond during the 2025 WNBA season that extended beyond basketball. The duo connected on a personal level, with the assistant coach playing a significant role in Mitchell’s development.Christmas-Kelly gave a tear-jerking shoutout to Mitchell, paying tribute to the resilience the veteran guard showed throughout the season. Stephanie White’s assistant highlighted how the three-time All-Star battled through adversity and personal loss, never once shying away from pushing herself to become the best version of who she could be."The past few years of closely witnessing the growth in your game have been nothing short of amazing," the Fever assistant wrote. "The circumstances you’ve endured, the loss you’ve encountered, and the adversity you’ve constantly overcome. But never did you waver in the love you have for the game, the work you put into perfecting your craft, and the professionalism you constantly put forth." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostKelsey Mitchell was deeply moved by Karima Christmas-Kelly’s tribute. She responded in the comment section of the post:"you held me up when no one else did. you saw my vulnerability and let me feel all my grief. you was wit me SHOOTING IN THE GYM! i love you, Coach! forever indebted to you, Rim."Through her reactions, Mitchell made it clear how much Christmas-Kelly had provided her with emotional support during challenging times, and wrote on her Instagram story:"You let me be vulnerable with you," Mitchell wrote. "You let me grieve with you. You let me be down and be there to pick me up! You never gave up on me. I love you eternally."(Credit: Screenshot/Instagram)Before the 2025 WNBA season tipped off, Mitchell lost her father. Despite the personal loss and emotional battles, Mitchell delivered an exceptional performance last season. Her sustained excellence and consistent production fueled the Indiana Fever’s inspiring run to the Conference semifinals.Family to play a big role in Kelsey Mitchell's free agency decisionIndiana Fever general manager Amber Cox made it clear that the franchise’s "No. 1 priority" this offseason is to re-sign Kelsey Mitchell. However, Mitchell’s decision will ultimately depend on what she feels is best for her family."Losing a parent is a big shift," Mitchell said during the Fever exit interview. "I take in consideration how my mom feels now, I take in consideration how my siblings and, you know, my immediate family, my dad's mom is still alive, my grandmother, and so that's big for me."Family is big for me. So I think talking to them and figuring out what's best for us and for what I need internally is always going to be important."Mitchell gave her everything, and more, to the Fever. The extended minutes eventually took a toll on her as her body broke down during Game 5 against the Las Vegas Aces. It was an unceremonious ending to what was one of the most memorable performances by a player in a Fever uniform in a single season.